Elyse MacDonald, aquatic biologist and PGL's in-house erosion and sediment control specialist, attended the International Erosion Control Association's (IECA ) conference in Dallas, Texas from February 16 to 19, 2010 on behalf of PGL and presented a case study titled "Conquering Erosion Control in the Pacific Northwest Wilderness." The conference, themed "Discover New Frontiers," was attended by over 2,000 people with presenters from Canada, the United States, India, Peru, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. Environmental Connections attracts erosion and sediment control professionals who share success stories from around the world to allow for shared knowledge and perspective on a global scale.
While there, Elyse attended the IECA's Pacific Northwest chapter meeting with members from Alaska, Idaho, BC, and Washington to discuss issues pertinent to our region and climate. As the BC representative for CPESC, Inc., she used this conference to network with other Certified Professionals in Erosion and Sediment Control including the Region 9 representative to discuss matters pertaining to the ongoing implementation of erosion control standards in Canada. She also took a two-day Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation 2 (RUSLE2) course, which teaches how to use a computer-based modelling program for predicting soil loss on a site with RUSLE2. This program can estimate soil loss in the existing, disturbed condition and then recalculate soil loss after the application of a wide range of best management practices.
Anna Solnickova, PGL's Accounts Payable Clerk, experienced the once-in-a-lifetime thrill of being an Olympic Torch Bearer on February 9, 2010.
Anna, who is completing her Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Douglas College in New Westminster, was nominated by one of her instructors to carry the torch because he felt that Anna's determination and courage exemplify the Olympic spirit. Thirty other students applied for the opportunity and three finalists were asked to partake in a panel interview. Anna found out she was chosen as Torch Bearer in July 2009 but due to VANOC policies, had to keep the exciting news a secret until January 2010.
Anna is a two-time survivor of the same type of cancer that Terry Fox had. She is an active spokesperson for the Terry Fox Foundation and has helped organize the Terry Fox Run in Burnaby since 2005. Her positive attitude, dedication to scholastic excellence and community volunteer work were among the reasons she was chosen to represent Douglas College.
Anna carried the torch through the streets of New Westminster on a stunningly beautiful and sunny Tuesday afternoon. She described her experience as absolutely thrilling, exhilarating and one she will never forget.
After about two years of consultation and draft changes, on December 29, 2009 the Ontario Ministry of Environment revised the Brownfield Regulation (Ontario Regulation 511/09). Although most of the revisions do not take effect until July 2011, the changes can affect current property remediations, transactions, and financing activities.
Highlights of the new regulation include:
To appropriately manage risk and cost, proponents should consider how these changes affect your property/project until the regulation is fully in effect. For example, should you have site conditions evaluated to both the existing and future standards?
Contact John DeWilde or Kim Worboy (1-888-888-1395) to discuss how these changes could affect your property or property transaction. We are also available to provide a presentation regarding the new regulation and its impacts to you.
Pottinger Gaherty Environmental Consultants will be one of the premier exhibitors at the Independent Power Producers of BC conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Vancouver, BC on November 2 and 3. As one of the most experienced and skilled environmental consultants in the industry, PGL will be presenting and discussing with attendees some of our most recent work on such noteworthy projects as Cloudworks Energy's Kwalsa and Stave River hydroelectric projects, Enmax's Upper and Lower Clowhom hydroelectric projects, NaiKun Wind Development's offshore wind energy project in the Hecate Strait, and Syntaris Power's Kinskuch River project. If you are in Vancouver during the conference, stop by to say hello and find out about these projects and others.
When international concert promoter, Live Nation, decided to hold one of the biggest and best live outdoor music concerts in Pemberton, BC from July 25–27, 2008, it also wanted to make sure that it minimized the impact of the event on one of the most beautiful places in the world. Organizers of the Pemberton Festival aimed to be trendsetters in environmental responsibility, so they approached Pottinger Gaherty Environmental Consultants to provide site sustainability strategies, which would help them reach their goal. PGL’s environmental experts designed a plan that would not only solve the many challenges of holding a massive live music performance in a pristine mountain pasture, but make it simple for the organizers to implement. The result is a comprehensive and practical set of strategies that will allow concert goers to enjoy one of the best musical events in the great outdoors while minimizing their impact on the surrounding environment. For more information on PGL’s Event Site Sustainability Plan services, please contact us at 604.682.3707 or information@pggroup.com.
On December 8, 2007, the Government of Canada published a Notice under section 71 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 in the Canada Gazette, Part I entitled Section 71 Notice with respect to reporting information on air pollutants, greenhouse gases and other substances for the 2006 calendar year.
The Minister of the Environment is requiring major industries to provide information on their emissions of air pollutants, greenhouse gases and other substances for the year 2006 by May 31, 2008 as part of the regulatory development process set out in the Regulatory Framework for Air Emissions unveiled on April 26, 2007. An accompanying Guidance document will provide assistance to persons required to provide the information set out in the Notice.
The notice can also be found at the following internet addresses: http://www.ec.gc.ca/CEPAregistry/notices/ or http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2007/20071208/html/suppl-e.html.
Related documents:
If you would like PGL to assist you in determining whether this Notice applies to your operation, please contact Stewart Brown at 604.682.3707 (BC) or Jeff Frost at 905.898.555 (Ontario).
Pottinger Gaherty Environmental Consultants is proud to have been selected for the second year in a row as a finalist for ECO Canada's Environmental Employer of the Year Award in the Large Company Category. We recognize that our continued success, since 1991, has been due to our employees and their willingness to go the extra mile for both the company and our clients. Our repeat selection as finalist is an indication, we believe, that the emphasis on an employee-oriented corporate culture, a work/life balance and the opportunity for staff to develop their careers in the direction and to the extent that they choose is appealing and satisfying. We would like to thank our staff for their continued support and in making our company a great place to work.
British Columbia's new Brownfield Renewal Strategy was announced on February 25, 2008 at Dockside Green in Victoria. Led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and supported by the Ministry of Environment's Land Remediation Section and other provincial agencies, the strategy consists of a range of initiatives designed to reduce barriers to the timely and responsible redevelopment of brownfield sites, both private and Crown. Strategy initiatives generally fall into one of the following three categories:
Additional details regarding the Brownfield Renewal Strategy, including Monday's news release, may be found here. Information may also be obtained by contacting Scott Bailey at the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands at (250) 356-2244.
Wouldn't it be great if someone made the solution to your environmental problem as easy to understand as a completely white Rubik's cube puzzle? That's what Pottinger Gaherty does. Our diverse team of environmental professionals, with their advanced engineering and scientific knowledge and skills, has a track record of successfully tackling some of Canada's most complex environmental projects. We aim to provide expert advice and innovative solutions that can reduce project cost, schedule and risk. And because we present these in such a practical, straightforward and understandable manner, our clients can confidently evaluate their go-forward strategies and plans. [ See Our Ad ]
Released on January 8, 2008, the BC Ministry of Environment's new environment assessment guidance document, "Interim Guidance for Contaminated Sites - Soil Vapour Assessment," will impact virtually every site investigation and remediation program in progress in the province by increasing project completion time and cost. Taking effect on February 1, 2008, this guidance introduces the requirement to assess vapours as part of environmental investigations in addition to the current requirement to assess concentrations of contaminants in soil and groundwater. The interim guidance mandates the application of soil vapour sampling on sites with volatile potential contaminants of concern. Since the guidance classifies many substances as volatile, and includes several related to heating fuel and gasoline, most sites are affected. More...[January 24, 2008]
There are changes to the laws governing underground storage tanks in Ontario. A new Liquid Fuel Handling Code 2007 became effective September 1, 2007. The code applies to all tanks that store liquid fuels for motive purposes (i.e., gasoline and diesel). The changes in this code may require you, or your client, to conduct additional investigation, remediation and/or reporting. PGL can interpret how these changes affect you and your site and we have provided an overview for your information. More...[January 11, 2008]
PGL management and staff congratulate Les Hardy, M.Sc., P.Eng. and Duncan Macdonald, B.Sc., P.Eng. on their appointment to the Roster of Contaminated Sites Approved Professionals. We appreciate the dedication, hard work and knowledge that went into achieving this distinction. Joining PGL's other Roster professionals, Art Hildebrand, B.A.Sc., P.Eng. and Will Gaherty, M.S., P.Eng., Les and Duncan expand the range of expert services we provide to our clients and are an asset to our company. [ See Our Ad ]
Ontario Regulation 278/05 requires that all buildings, with the exception of owner-occupied residences, have an asbestos survey and management plan by November 1, 2007. The regulation provides specific instructions with respect to sampling and analysis and requires that the survey be updated every year. More.... [September 12, 2007]
From time to time, Pottinger Gaherty Environmental Consultants provides clients with informative briefs which we feel will improve the operation of their organization. Recently, many of our clients have come to us with questions regarding NPRI (National Pollutant Release Inventory) and Ontario Regulation (O.Reg.) 127/01 and how these reporting requirements might affect them. Because of the many demands and problems these reporting requirements generate, we thought that a brief summary of the process would help you. More..... [April 20, 2007]
Pottinger Gaherty Environmental Consultants is proud to have been selected as a finalist for 2007 ECO Canadas Environmental Employer of the Year Award in the Large Company Category. We recognize that our continued success, since 1991, has been due to our employees and their willingness to go the extra mile for both the company and their clients. Our selection as finalists is an indication, we believe, that the emphasis on an employee oriented corporate culture, a work/life balance and the opportunity for staff to develop their careers in the direction and to the extent that they choose is appealing and satisfying. We would like to thank our staff for their support and in making our company a great place to work.
On Thursday February 1, 2007 Pottinger Gaherty Environmental Consultants will be participating in The Alliance for the Planets Power Out event (www.lalliance.fr). In support of a worldwide citizens effort to create awareness about the effect of the global demand for energy on climate change, our three offices (Vancouver, Oshawa and Newmarket) will be simultaneously turning off all computers, lights and other electrical appliances. From 10:55 to 11:00 am (PST) every staff member will be powering down to create 5 minutes of electrical rest for the planet. We encourage all our clients, friends and family members to participate along with us in demonstrating awareness about the effect of power use on the environment.
Pottinger Gaherty supports its employees efforts in doing their part to help the environment. By providing bike friendly facilities and offering an allowance towards fitness, biking and public transit, the firm encourages work and lifestyle choices that benefit the employee, the environment and the company. Read the article. [Sep. 21, 2006]
Pottinger Gaherty Environmental Consultants (PGL) is pleased to announce its new membership with the Co-Operative Auto Networks (CAN) Company Car program. More... [Jul. 15, 2006]
For the seventh consecutive year, on June 7th, Pottinger Gaherty Environmental Consultants (PGL) participated in the Better Environmentally Sound Transportations 11th Annual Commuter Challenge event. More... [Jun. 20, 2006]
Pottinger Gaherty Environmental Consulting Limited (PGL) of Vancouver, BC announces the opening of a new Air Quality Group based in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. The office opened for business on January 3rd, 2006. The group will initially focus on meeting the needs of industry in Ontario, where air quality regulations are seen as some of the most stringent in the country. However, the group will also be actively supporting PGL clients across the country. More... [Feb.17, 2006]
